Quote:
Originally Posted by
CitiBear 
This almost never works. Worth a try, but is usually only effective with a new-ish recorder that just happens to suddenly get some dirt in it. Old recorders stop burning because the laser is shot: these things aren't like our VCRs that lasted 20 years. If you bought a recorder in 2007, it will likely croak this year. Of course there are exceptions: Panasonics are unkillable (if you disassemble them for periodic spindle cleaning), and some recorders are dysfunctional due to a cat hair or cigarette smoke on the lens. You would be correct that they just need a lens cleaning, but a cleaner disc won't cut it: they need to be taken apart and manually cleaned.
zbums hasn't stated whether the problem is only with the new package of Sony discs: if so, its those specific discs. If he's having problems with all brands, its the burner, and likely age-related.
Not according to
Saint Wajo's Magnavox Bible: I checked it before responding to the OP, and it says the burners for the 3575 and 3576 are out of production. It also seems to say the Philips units need a different PCB than that supplied with the Magnavox burners, implying they're incompatible. I did just re-read that section and its a bit confusing: I now see the link to your repair notes does suggest the Mag burner is compatible with the Philips PCB (unlike the Panasonics, where the PCB and burner are individually matched).. The only compatibility issue would seem to be if the Philips PCB blew out- it is no longer made, and you said the Mag PCB would be difficult to install as a substitute?
In the case of a 3575, its old enough that I don't think it pays to spend $65 on a new burner and tear the unit apart when you can still buy an entire like-new Magnavox 513 recorder for $169 from J&R. Repair makes sense if you can't get a Magnavox at the old price, though.
Each recorder brand is different. Some failing burners will continue to work OK with 8x media even if they fail frequently with 16x: they fail "slowly" so 16x compatibility goes first but you can still squeeze a few months or a year service from them burning 8x media. Other burner types fail all at once: if 16x burning dies, 8x dies right along with it. We often see reports of a unit failing only with RW media, or only with -R/+R. So it depends. Trying 8x media is a cheap alternative: if it works, you can buy enough time to get all your recordings off the HDD, if it doesn't work, you can use the discs in a new recorder or a PC. No harm done.
It is common to use Panasonic as a point of reference, but what applies to Panasonic almost never applies to any other brand. Panasonic burners are almost freakishly durable, yet perversely are often reported as "failing prematurely" when they just need to be taken apart and cleaned. Contradictory, and not very consumer friendly. Panasonic is also one of the very few recorder mfrs to ever directly issue a firmware update to enhance compatibility with newer media. Even without an update, the majority of Panasonics will burn just about anything with their military-class lasers.
But I do agree the Magnavox and Philips models are from the newer generation that is reasonably compatible with almost any media brand or type. Most owners are using generic media with them quite happily, year after year. I only suggested
zbums try 8x media in his failing 3575 because 8x will sometimes work in a dying burner that can no longer handle 16x (due to either spindle or laser wear).
hi citibear...
on the panny reference, my only reason for reference was that during that time, the pannys did not support 16x DVD-RW discs, and subsequently produced a firmware patch to ' table support ' the discs, even though the burners may not have supported 16x write speed... only by association, i'm guessing that circa that period in time, manufacturers such as Funai were probably aware of the disc market and, as such, probably included a firmware table entry so the discs would not be ' unrecognizable ' ... most certainly, the Funai burner hardware would not support 16x write speed, but would still write to the discs...
on cleaning, i never use the kits, but bite the bullet and go inside with a lintless swab to do the job... this DOES result in improvement, if not a fix, in many cases...
on the rest of the compatibility stuff, i do agree with your analysis most heartily...
my last update ( via wajo ) was that 3576 burner / main pcb kits were still available, but that could have changed.
my original attempt to obtain a 3576 kit was unsuccessful, so i ordered ( gambled ) a Mag MDR-513 kit ( after which wajo had advised that the 3576 kits were still available and that i had gotten some bad info )...
in any case, i received the MDR513 kit and i have physically ( and successfully ) replaced the burner in my 3576 with the burner that comes with the MDR-513 kit...
the Mag Main PCB is not directly compatible and cannot be installed without some mods. However, the burner will drop right in and function fine with the existing Main PCB. when i received it, i put it through its paces in a 3576 and it worked flawlessly.
also, i kind of disagree on the 65 bucks... unless one really needs some of the functionality of the MDR machines, the 3575 ( with its firmware update ) works fine ( i have a relative with a 3575 )...
my original 3575 investments were about 230.00 at Sams Club... if i had a choice today to fix a 3575 for 65 bucks or spend upwards of 200 for an MDR machine, i would opt for the 3575 fixit...
sure, i would have 295 invested, but that's still better than 430...
i had a couple of these before returning them to philips for unrelated issues, at which time they had replaced them with the 3576 models, as the 3575's had been discontinued at that point in time...
zbums, if you choose to go for a Mag unit and want to unload your 3575 for 50 bucks, i'll take it...
rgds,
ron g
